Key takeaways
- SDR stands for sales development representative, the person who starts conversations with new prospects.
- SDR is the job; sales development is the function the job sits in.
- The job ends at a qualified meeting; an account executive takes the deal from there.
- Good SDRs research before they write, so each message gives the prospect a reason to reply.
- Meetings that turn into real opportunities matter more than raw activity counts.
What does an SDR do day to day
An SDR spends the day finding the right people at target accounts, writing to them and following up. Mornings often go on research and list building, afternoons on calls, replies and booking meetings.
Much of the work is reading signals: a new leader, an expansion, a job post or a product launch that makes outreach timely. The SDR logs every touch in the CRM so the account executive can see the full history before the first call.
- Build and research a list of target accounts and contacts
- Write first-touch emails and LinkedIn messages
- Call, follow up and handle early objections
- Ask qualifying questions about need, timing and authority
- Book meetings and hand over notes to an account executive
What is the difference between an SDR and a BDR
The difference is mostly where the leads come from, although companies use the titles loosely. In many teams an SDR follows up inbound leads, such as demo requests and content downloads, while a business development representative (BDR) works outbound into accounts that have not shown interest.
Some companies call every early-stage seller an SDR. When comparing roles, ask where the leads come from: the split that matters is inbound follow-up against cold outbound.
How is an SDR measured
An SDR is measured on qualified meetings or opportunities created, with activity as a leading indicator. Typical targets cover meetings booked, meetings held and how many of those the account executive accepts as genuine opportunities.
Activity counts such as emails sent and calls made help a manager coach, but they make a poor goal on their own. A rep who books fewer, better meetings usually helps the pipeline more than one who floods the calendar.
What is an example of SDR work
Take an illustrative SDR at a company selling scheduling software to clinics. She notices a regional clinic group has opened new sites and is hiring front desk staff. She writes to the operations director about booking pressure at new sites, follows up two days later with one short question and calls on day five.
The director agrees to talk. On the call the SDR confirms the group still plans rotas on paper, then books a meeting with the account executive and attaches her notes, so the next conversation starts where hers ended.
Where does the SDR career path lead
The usual next step is account executive, where the rep runs discovery, demos and negotiation and owns the close. Others move into SDR team lead or manager roles, sales operations, or marketing roles that use the same understanding of buyers.
The habits carry into every later role: researching before speaking, writing short clear messages and handling rejection without losing pace.
Where Pebbles Ai fits
- CapabilityProspecting & customer recordsDescribe your ideal customer and your assistant finds matching companies, then the right people at up to ten of them. Leads land as contacts in the Pebbles Ai CRM (in Beta), ready for outreach.
- CapabilityOutreach contentEmail and LinkedIn campaign templates, single-touch or up to seven touches, with a personality for each piece. Generated emails are saved as drafts in your connected Gmail or Outlook mailbox for the SDR to review and send.
- CapabilityResearch & analysisAssistants read company websites and public sources and cite them, so the reason for reaching out is one the SDR can check.
Common questions
What does SDR stand for in sales?
SDR stands for sales development representative. Some companies say sales development rep or sales development specialist for the same role.
Is an SDR an entry-level job?
Often, yes. Many people start their sales career as an SDR because the role teaches prospecting, messaging and qualification before they carry a closing target.
Do SDRs close deals?
Usually not. An SDR's job ends when a qualified meeting is booked and accepted; the account executive runs the sales process from there.
Can AI replace an SDR?
AI assistants can take on research, list building and first drafts, which frees the SDR for judgement and conversation. Deciding who is worth a meeting, and talking to them well, is still human work.
About this page. Written by the Pebbles Ai team for people who run sales, marketing and growth. Last updated .
